A Father's Perception

Toph shuffled out of her room, holding onto her backpack with one hand and covering her face with the other. She made it all the way to the front door before getting caught.

"A-hem." Lao coughed from the top of the stairway. Toph stopped dead in her tracks. "Where do you think you're going?"

Toph turned around and pretended to not be intimidated.

"Just heading out for a few hours."

"With who?" Lao demanded to know. He walked down the stairway.

"With just some friends." Toph shrugged.

"It's with that Aang boy, isn't it?"

"Maybe." Toph got frustrated. "So what if it is?"

"Why do you spend so much time with him?" Lao approached her.

"Because dad…he's a real good friend."

"What about your other friends your age?"

"I don't have…" Toph stopped for a moment. "…Aang is a really cool guy. He's fun."

Lao glared at her for a moment.

"I gotta get going." Toph said as she opened the door. "I'll see ya for dinner." And she walked outside before Lao could say anything.

Lao watched her leave their front lawn, carefully studying her. In the past few weeks, Lao realized that Toph had been walking straighter and smiled more.

"Dinner is ready." Poppy (Toph's mother) said to her husband. Even though she didn't cook any of the food, she still took credit for it.

Lao picked up his fork and knife and began eating. He glanced back and forth at the empty chair that Toph was supposed to be sitting in.

"She just probably got caught up with her friends." Poppy smiled when she saw her husband's eyes wander.

"She's probably out with that boy again." Lao said grumpily as he picked up his fork.

"Well, she is a teenager. I would be worried if she didn't see a few boys."

"Yes, but she's been seeing this same boy…over and over again."

"They are friends."

"That's how it starts…" Lao looked down at his plate, then back at his wife. "They are very close, those two. Maybe a little too close for a boy and a girl."

"You sound worried that they may become…" Poppy stopped.

"Exactly, more than just friends. I don't want that boy with my little girl." Lao growled.

"He's…not a bad boy." Poppy said. She tried to sound confident, but now that she was thinking of them both together she was getting as worried as Lao.

"No. I suppose not." Lao admitted. "He's not like us though. He's one of those boys who has to wear four year old clothes from cheap stores."

"I don't want to disagree with you but, in case you hadn't noticed, our daughter isn't exactly like us either." Poppy said.

Lao slammed his knife and fork onto his table.

"I don't like that they are spending so much time together! She thinks that there is nothing wrong with spending time with him, like our opinions don't matter. We are her parents! We should have a say what she does and who she does them with. If anything, she should at least respect us and hear what we think. She won't even do that now! Poppy, we're losing her. I'm losing my little girl."

Their front door opened and closed.

"TOPH!" Lao yelled.

"What?" She yelled back, disrespectfully.

"Where were you? Dinner has already been served!"

"Oh, that's okay. I ate at Aang's house. His dad can really cook." Lao grew so angry that his face turned red with boiling blood. "I'll be in my room, k?" Before Lao could say anything else, Toph slammed her door. Lao immediately stood up and marched into her room.

Poppy held her head and tried to be strong, knowing another night of yelling was on its way.

Poppy! I didn't write that. That's REALLY her name.